Becoming The Face Of Change – Activists And Changemakers

We have reached so far in terms of social change, today we can proudly claim a society that is notably more liberal and receptive to change.
However, collectively as a society, when can we truly claim that we have reached the ideal stage? Ideally never. This constantly evolving nature of societal dynamics is evident in the fact that the pursuit of an ideal state is a journey rather than a final destination.

On this Women’s Day, a celebration that honors the progress and achievements of our society concerning gender equality, let’s delve into some new journeys concerning environmental and social changes and get to know the flag bearers of these new waves of activism. 

Ridhima Pandey - A New Age Environmentalist

Borne out of the haunting memories of the devastating Kedarnath cloudburst, which claimed over 6000 lives and ravaged numerous villages and towns, Ridhima sheds light on the prevalent climate disasters in Uttarakhand. This grim reality propelled the young activist to emerge as a vocal advocate, questioning the government's actions to prevent such catastrophes.

This flow of activism reached a pivotal point upon her taking legal action by filing a petition against the Indian Government. The petition highlighted the failures of the government to take on-ground actions as promised in the Paris Agreement—an international treaty addressing climate change. Upon the dismissal, authorities claimed that necessary actions were being taken.

As a young environmentalist, Ridhima aims to make people and the government more aware of the urgent issue of climate change. Her strong dedication reflects the importance of addressing this matter. Ridhima Pandey serves as an inspiration for a generation striving to secure a sustainable future.

Sumithra Sriram- A Unique Content Creator

A content creator from Chennai, who is dedicating her efforts to raising awareness about Child Abuse, Women Empowerment, and Mental health challenges. Sriram is wholeheartedly dedicated to the cause and has been actively sharing her experiences over social media, to help the voices of children.

Sharing the challenges with motherhood, Sumithra shares the obstacles she has overcome along the way, the discrimination faced by her being a female in this male-dominated society, and the hardships of standing on the expectations of the society around her. 

Her journey from being a young girl with no one to hear her voice to becoming the voice of many children, mothers, and young adults is nothing but a respectful applause worthy!

Mugdha Kalra – An Autism Activist

Starting with unloading her day-to-day experiences as a caregiver of a neurodivergent child through online blog posts, Mugdha connected with other caregivers sharing similar stories. In the process, she confronted the sad reality of the minimal attention that is being paid to the mental health of these caregivers, with regards to the intense hardships of the role.

She believes that very often society and families overlook their work due to the expectations they are subjected to. This led her to work towards emphasizing the mental well-being of the caregivers and currently, she is passionately contributing towards raising awareness about caregiver inclusion and disability awareness in the workplace.

Shamita Chaudhary- A Sustainable Approach to Construction and Demolition (The Malba Project)

An architect by profession, the founder of this distinctive Delhi-based startup, Shamita Chaudhary is driven by the initiative of sustainability. Her journey began in the year 2018 on a Manali trip, where the heaps of construction waste dump incited a curiosity to explore the Whys and Hows of the waste management scene.

The Malba Project is aimed at promoting effective construction and demolition (C&D) waste disposal, followed by the promotion of circular construction practices.

The project also sheds light on the systematic issues within the waste management system and works towards filling those gaps by assisting and reporting to the concerned government bodies. Their Malba Spotting drives invite young individuals to partake in on-ground actions, which is an impactful approach to educating people about the initiative.

Vaishali Sharma – Voicing Different Species 

Amplifying the voices of innocent strays, an animal rights activist and the founder of Fun and Fur, Vaishali Sharma, is doing commendable work in the area of animal welfare. Her efforts range from providing shelter, food, and neutering services for stray animals to conducting rescues for sick and injured strays. Vaishali also engages in the rehabilitation process and facilitates the adoption of these animals.

Vaishali is consistently working at the grassroots level to improve the conditions of stray animals, regardless of the financial strain it takes to keep the good work going. Through the medium of social media, she has been raising awareness about the rescue cases, and fostering adoptions by sharing the heartwarming stories of the rescued animals.

As an animal rights activist, Vaishali promotes the message of "Adopt Don't Shop", emphasizing how these practices contribute to animal cruelty, especially when numerous animals in need of a forever home are around us.